E-Cigarette retailers Receive Warning Letters From the FDA Over Selling to Minors

Recently the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) handed out warning letters to five companies that sell e-cigarettes, citing them for selling their products to minors.

Since new regulations have been placed on e-cigarette marketing and sales, the vaping community and sellers have been reacting with fierce opposition. Rounds of warning letters have already been sent out from the FDA to e-cigarette sellers for products sold to minors, and now five more companies – iPuffVapor, Puff n Stuff Kissimmee Inc., Encore Vapor Inc., Mission Pipe Cigar Shop and Rize Vapor – have been recipients of the letters.

As of the end of September, a total of 55 warning letters have been sent out to tobacco retailers for allegedly failing to comply with the new regulation that buyers must be 18 years old or older to purchase e-cigarette or “vaping” products.

Although e-cigarettes don’t contain tobacco, they have been found to contain harmful chemicals such as diacetyl. The FDA has launched a campaign to help keep these harmful chemicals (as well as new habits that may lead to smoking regular cigarettes) out of the hands of minors.

In one of the letters sent out, the FDA informed the seller – iPuffVapor – that the agency had investigated the company’s website and found that someone younger than 18 was purchasing e-liquids from their site.

With diacetyl, acetoin and 2,3 pentanedione found in 92 percent of e-liquids, concerns have been raised about the safety claims that e-cigarette sellers make about the products. Diacetyl has been linked to the development of bronchiolitis obliterans, better known as “popcorn lung” for the popcorn plant workers that developed the disease after long-term exposure to the chemical. It’s a chemical used in flavorings to mimic the creamy taste of butter.

According to the FDA, diacetyl is safe when consumed in trace amounts. But when it is inhaled, the person is at risk for developing serious lung diseases such as bronchiolitis obliterans, which is only treatable by lung transplant.

Righting Injustice is published by the Beasley Allen Law Firm. If you are
interested in a free legal consultation, please take a few moments to fill out
the contact form with as many details as possible. The more information you
provide us, the better we can evaluate your claim.